Good times over for Gilesy

END OF AN ERA
Emotional times in Montrose midweek. It seems we’ve heard for the last time the classic Gilesy admission… “Ahhh, I don’t know a lot about these fellas, Bill.”
In this straitened economic climate, it seems everyone is prepared to work that little bit harder and it was Dunphy who ushered in the new regime with the chilling words:

“John also watched the DVD of Cyprus.”

HONEST PRO
Who says modern footballers don’t show respect? In days gone by, Dimitar Berbatov might have been accused of snatching candy from a baby when he casually tapped in United’s third against West Brom. But Stephen Alkin knows the languid Bulgarian is a straight-up guy:

“It was like buying sweets in the shop.”

REWRITING HISTORY
Hats off to Motty for remembering, but we’re not sure a kick around at the demolished recycling plant at Ashburton Grove really counts as a Premier League win over Arsenal:

“Everton take the lead on the ground they haven’t won at since 1996.”

NOT THERE YET
Now all RTE producers have to do is transport Ronnie Whelan into the 21st century:

“Nottingham Forest are rock bottom of the second division.”

GEORGE LEE, TAKE NOTE
Meanwhile, if it’s a frank dissection of the market meltdown and its dramatic implications you’re after, look no further than Phil Thompson on Soccer Saturday:

“I was up in Iceland not long ago and they were very proud how self-sufficient they were and they’ve got those minerals and everything. And they’ve come bang. Absolutely!”

DRUGS WORK FOR RUPERT
Of course if Brian Lenihan had talked to Martin Keown first, he might have left the pensioners alone and spotted another way of boosting revenues:

“Obviously Sky gets its money from prescription payers.”

DON’T BANK ON MERSE
For Paul Merson, unfortunately, the credit crunch started many moons ago. Pondering Emile Heskey’s motivation for a move from Wigan, the Merse remarked sadly:

“If he aint got enough money already, I’ve been looking after it.”

RUSH JOB
Quite the gallery of sweet talkers Sky assembled for the midweek internationals, with Merse being flanked by Ian Rush and Tony Cas.
Rushie seems to have forgotten more than there is to know about football:

“The fourth assistant has signalled two minutes… and now the full whistle has gone.”
While Cas, as always, is simply Cas: “It’s starting to end up a little bit more brighter for Ireland.”

TRIFFIC JAMIE
Never one to back away from a bold prediction, Jamie was sticking his neck on the line after Boro’s Saturday shambles:

“They won’t be the only team to get beat by Chelsea, mark my words.”

Read all the guff first in the Champions supplement in Monday’s Irish Examiner